Circular-knitting machine



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J. L-.,BRANSON. Circular Knitting Machine.

No. 241,474. Patented May 17,1881.

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N. PETERS PhmwLflhogrlphn Washington, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. BRANSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,474, dated May 17, 1881.

Application filed July 15, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMEs L. BRANSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Circular-Knitting Machines, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification and accompanyin g drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the knittingmachine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the presser-wheels and their support.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

My invention consists of a bent yarn-carrier arm, in combination with the cam-cylinder, needles, and needle-cylinder of a knitting-machine, said needle-cylinder being constructed to allow the outward placement of the needles, the yarn-carrier allowing the operation of the machine without contact of said carrier with said needles when the latter are placed outwardly.

It also consists of two wheels, in combination with the needle-cylinder,cam-cylinder, needles, yarn-support of a knitting-machine, and the support for the aforesaid wheels, the latter being arranged on each side of said support.

In the drawings, A represents the bed of the machine, B the cam-cylinder, rotated by suitable gearing, andCthe needle-cylinder, all of well-known construction.

F represents the yarn-carrier, which is supported by, and secured to, the arm G. This arm is approximately of a double-crank shape, its lower horizontal bar being attached to camcylinder B, and extending outward therefrom, and the upper bar extending inward toward the needle-cylinder G, with a slight downward inclination. When one of the needles is set outward from needle-cylinder C, as shown in Fig. 1, the peculiar shape of the arm G prevents contact of said arm and said needle during the working of the machine.

In making the rib-top of hose, or rib of other tubular articles, it has been customary to remove every fourth needle from the needle-cylinder. The cam cylinder is then rotated until (No model.)

the length required for the rib-top or rib portion is knit.

In my invention the desired needles are simply lifted from the cylinder and tipped outwardly, so as to set at an angle to the perpendicular line of the cylinder, the confining spring-band at present used pressing against the upright heels of the needles, and serving to hold said needles in horizontal and inoperative positions, the remaining needles on the cylinder being set in the ordinary way. The cam-cylinder is then rotated until the length required for the rib is knit. The operator then returns such of the horizontally-placed needles as are not directly over the cams to a perpendicular position and presses them down into the cam-cylinder. The cam-cylinder is again rotated so as to carry the cams forward away from the remaining needles standing out at an angle to the needle-cylinder, and said needles are then lifted and pressed down to full extent. The machine is'now operated with a full set of needles.

The manner of knitting ribs is well known. By the use of the arm of the yarn-carrier the needles, though rendered inoperative, remain on their cylinder, and the rotation of the cam cylinder is accomplished without interfering with the needles or being interfered with.

The arm Gr may be made in one piece with the yarn-carrier or separate therefrom. In the latter case the supporting-piece of the yarncarrier is connected to the upper end of the arm G by a set-screw and rendered adjustable thereby.

In order to hold down the web while the needles pass up through the old loops to free the latches preparatory to the formation of new loops, this being especially advantageous in areciprocating machine in making the heel and toe, I employtwo wheels,H, which are mounted on a horizontal bar attached to an upright arm, H, which, in the present case, is connected to the upper end of the arm Gby the screw which secures the yarn-carrier. The forward wheel, in moving in either direction, presses down on the web orloops at the point where the cams commence to force the needles upward As the cams are set apart to free the latches.

at their upper ends equidistant from the yarncarrier, so as to allow the yarn to .be properly led to the needles, the two wheels H are employed in order to press down on the loops over either eam.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Thebent yarn-carrier arm G,.substan tially as described, in combination with the cam-cylinder, needles, and needle-oylinder'of a knitting-machine, said needle-cylinder being constructed to allow the outward placement of the needles, and said yarn-carrier allowing the op eration of the machine without contact of said 15 carrier with said needles when the latter are placed outwardly, substantially as set forth.

2. The two wheels H H, in combination with needle-cylinder O, cam-cylinder B, needles, yarn-support of a knitting-machine, and the 20 support H for said wheels H, the latter being arranged on each side of said support, substantially as set forth.

JAMES LIBRANSON.

Witnesses JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, A. P. GRANT. 

